Traction device



29, 1944- A. B. AUSTIN 2,343,131

TRACTION DEVICE Filed Nov. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 29, 1944. A.B. AUSTIN 2,343,131

TRACTION DEVICE FiledNov. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Inflenirbf-ABIFTE/Y Patented Febf29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE] TRACTIONDEVICE Albert 8. Austin, Minneapolis,- Minn.

' Application November 17, 1941, Serial No. 419,425

7 MS. (Cl- Z-228) This invention relates to a traction device adapted tobe applied to the tire on the wheel of an automobile vehicle. In theembodiment of the invention illustrated the invention is shown in theform commonly called a mud lug.

It is desirable in such a device to have the same so constructed that itcan be quickly and easily applied to the tire or wheel. One objection tothe devices of the prior art is that it is quite a task to place thesame on the wheel and the operator usually gets very much soiled indoing so. It is another important requirement of such a device that itbeso constructed that it will not slip on .the tire or come off whenoperating in very rough ground, in very soft mud or in snow.

It is an object of this invention therefore, to

' provide a traction device of simple construction which can be veryeasily and readily placed on the tire and easily and quickly tightenedin securely fastened position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a traction deviceconstructed and arranged to be easily placed on and secured on the tirein such a manner that it grips the tire at spaced points so that it willnot be loosened or come oil in use.v

It is a further object of the invention to provide a traction device ormud lug comprising members adapted to be disposed at the opposite sidesof the tire and having inter-engaging portions, one of which extendstransversely of the tread of the tire-together with means for relativelymoving said members to separate the same, so that the device can beeasily placed over the tire, and to draw said members together to clampthe same on said tire, said members having tire engaging portionsextending a substantial distance circumferentially of the tire.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a traction devicecomprising a pair of traction members disposed at opposite sides of thetire having inter engaging portions, one of which extends transverselyof the tread of the tire, said members extending inwardly quite adistance so as to engage the tire inwardly of its widest portion, saidmembers being movable toward and from each other and also havingportions engaging the corners of the tread of the t re.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a traction devicecomprising a pair of members disposed at opposite sides of the tirehaving means extending transversely of the tread of the tire and havingportions extending along the corners ofthe tread of said tire, saidportions having means adjacent their ends for pressing into and grippingthe tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traction devicecomprising a pair of members disposed at opposite sides of the tirehavin means extending transversely of the tread of said tire and beingrelatively movable transversely so as to be placed over and tightenedonthe tire, said members having portions extending inwardly to engagethe tire inwardly of its widest portion, said portions xtendingcircumferentially of the tire for some distance, said members alsohaving portions engaging the corner of the tread of the tire, saidportions engaging the tire inwardly of its widest portion being arrangedto engage the tire first as said members are moved together. 7

These and other objects and advantages or the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one member of the device;

'Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the other member of the device, saidmembers being arranged in separated opposed relation in said views;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the screw used to. relatively move saidmembers;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section taken subtially on line 4-4 of Fig.8 showing the device applied to a tire, said tire and the accompanyingrim being shown in radial cross section;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of one of the members of the device;I

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of one of said members as seen fromthe inside thereof;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the assembled device;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modified form of the device;

Fig. 10 is a view in vertical section taken on line lO-ll of Fi 9, and

Fig. 11 is a partial view similar to Fig. 4 showing said modified form.

Referring to the drawings, a traction device is shown comprising a pairof members II and it respectively. Said members are adapted to bedisposed in opposed relation at opposite sides of the tire on anautomotive vehicle wheel. Said members have upper portions lie and arespectively which extend circumierentially oi the tireandareconstructed and arrangedtoengagethe corneroithetiretread.Saidportions arethus curvedtoextendalongthetireasshowninmgs.

1, 2, 6 and -'I. Said portions are provided with suriaces Ilb, Ilc, llband lie respectively which side oi the tire the portions Ila and we comeinto engagement with the corners oi the tread as shown in Fig. 4.Portions III and It) are flanges lid and lid respectively adaptedto'hight into or press into the tread to securely hold said members IIand I. in position. Bald members I5 and It also have curved portions lieand lie extending inwardly irom portions Ila and Ila, the same having attheir inner end portions III and It! respectively which engage the tireinwardly oi its widest portion. It will be seen that portions It! and I!extend circumferentially oi the tire ior a substantial distance at eachside of the portions lie and lie. Portions I5! and It! are curved to fitalong and engage the side of the tire. It will be noted that portionslie and lie are of channel shape, thus having outwardly directed fiangesIla and "a. Portions It! and I6! have circumierentially extendingflanges llh and Ith respectively some distance above their lower edges,said portions having outer suriaces disposed at an angle to each other.

Portion IIa has upstanding centrally therefrom a lug or portion Ili iromwhich projects portion Iii, the latter extending substantially at 'rightangles to portion lie and thus in a direction to extending transverselyof the tire. Portion I 51 is shown as having a vertically extendingopening or e Ilk therethrough and'at its outer end is provided with abored and tapped hole IIm. Portion Ito-has a vertically extending lug orportion Ii disposed centrally thereof and this projects to iorm portionIii which is oi rectangular cross section and provided with an openingadapted to receive portion Iii. Said portion Iii has a cylindrical boreor opening I8]: therethrough adapted to receive a bolt II which screwsinto the tapped hole ISm as shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that byrotating bolt II, the head oi which is disposed at the outer side oisaid opening, members It and Il may be moved apart transversely oi thetire or moved together.

In Fig. 4 a device is shown in place on a tire I9, which tire is shownas disposed in a rim 2| oi the modern drop center type.

In operation the device will normally b in as-- sembled position asshown in Fig. 5. When the placed on atire by moving the same radiallyin'- ward oi the tire. The device will be pushed inwardly until thebottom oi portion I I! rests upon the tire tread. At this time portionsIII and it;

are disposed quite a distance inwardly oi the widest portion oi the tireand somewhat adjacent the rim 2|. Bolt I! can now be turned-with anordinary wrench .or with the wrench commonly provided ior the wheelbolts. Members I! and IQ will thus be moved together and as they movetogetherportions It! and It! will first the tire and grip the same. Thecurvature'gfoi' portions lie and lie is such that the innergjisides oisaid portions do not engage the tire. =;'1 he tire can thus be tightlygripped by the Ill and Ill and it can expand somewhat toward portionslie and lie.

brought into firm engagement with the tread and the flanges-lid and lidbite into orpress into the tread material. The device is then firmlysecumd on the tire. By having the portions IIa, III, Ila and It] extendcircumierentially oi the tire a substantial distance a very secure gripis had on the tire and it is impossible ior the device to slip or movecircumferentially oi the tire.

In Figs. 9, l0 and, 11 a modification is shown where the members It andI6 are similar to members It and IS in the portions Iia, I to, II}, "a,lie and I6]. Member I5 however, has projecting laterally thereirom aplurality oi lugs Ii'i. Lugs ls'i are provided with bored andtappedholes. Member IVis provided with a plurality oi lugs It'i projectinglaterally irom portion Iii. Lugs li'i and It'i at their end portions aresemicylindrical in shape. Lugs it! are bored and are transverselyaligned with lugs Il'i. The outer lugs Il'i have threaded therein rods22 slidable in lugs W1. A bolt 23 is Journalled in middle lug It'i andthreaded in middle lug IB'i.

The operation oi the device shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is substantiallylike that oi the device already described. Bolt 23 will be turned toseparate members it and It so that the device can be placed over thetire. Bolt 23 will then be turned and will draw members I! and ittogether to grip the tire as above described. Rods 22 slide in lugs Ii'iand act as guides. Rods 22' and bolt 23 will extend across the tire andtread and will provide the necessary traction. with the structure shownin Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the device does not project so much above thetread of the tire as in the structure shown in the other views.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a novel,simple and very eiiective traction device or mud lug. The devicecomprises few parts and as described, can very easily be placed on andsecured on the tire irom the convenient point oi access. Only oneoperation is necessary in tightening and that is the turning oi thetightening bolt. The device has been amply demonstrated over alongperiod oi testing and iound to be very successiul and efiicient. Thepresent form is the result oi many tests oi many diiierent forms andmodels. It is important to have th portions at the corners oi the treadand at the inner part oi the tire extend quite a distancecircumierentially oi the tire. A twisting action develops in practiceand this must be resisted. The device securely engages the tire atwidely spaced points so that the twisting action is eiiectivelyresisted. In wet slippery mud or snow it is difllcult to keep such adevice irom circumierential movement. The portions ltd are veryeiiective in this re ard. The present device has given remarkableresults under the worst conditions of service. The device has been ioundto be very successful and eillcient and it positively retains its placeon the tire and is not loosened or moved under the worst conditions.

It will, of course, be understood that various chan es may be mad in theterm, details, arrangement and proportions oi the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope oi applicant's invention, which generallystated, consists in a de- Aiter It! and I! have engaged the 1s disclosedand defined inthc appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A traction device for a pneumatic automobile tire having incombination, two members adapted to be disposed respectively at oppositesides of said tire and having interengaging portions, one of whichextends transversely across and engages the tread of said tire, meansfor causing relative transverse rectilinear bodily movement of saidmembers while inter-engaged so, that they may be moved away from eachother to place the device over the tire in a radial direction and may bemoved toward each other to clamp said tire, said members having inwardlyextending portions constructed and arranged to be spaced from said tireadjacent the tread and to a, location inwardly of the widest portion ofsaid tire, said portions having circumferentially extending arms attheir inner ends constructed and arranged to engage and grip said tireonl inwardly of said widest dimension.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, said arms projecting at oppositesides of said portions and extending some distance circumferentially ofsaid tire and being of arcuate form circumierentially to extend aroundsaid tire.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, said members having armsprojecting at opposite sides thereof adjacent the tread or said tire andextending for a considerable distance circumferentially of the tread ofsaid tire, said arms having means adjacent their ends formedwith'angular recesses therein for gripping the top and sides of thecorners of a tread of a tire having a tread with angular comers.

4. A traction device for a pneumatic automobile tir having incombination, a pair of members adapted to be disposed respectively ateach side of said tire and having telescoping portions, one of whichextends transversely oi the tread of said tire, means for causingrelative rectilinear bodily movement of said members transversely ofsaid tread while in telescoping relation so that they may be moved awayfrom each other to place the device over the tire in an inwardly radialdirection and may then be moved toward each other to clamp said tire,said members having portions extending inwardly to beyond the widestdimension of said tire and constructed and arranged to engage and gripsaid tire only at a point inwardly of its widest dimension, saidportions having terminal parts extending a substantial distancecircumferentially of said tire.

5. A traction device for a pneumatic automoblie tire having incombination, a pair of members adapted to be disposed respectively atopposite sides of said tire and having interengaging portions, one ofwhich extends transversely of the tread of said tire, means for causingrelative transvers rectilinear bodily movement of said members whileinter-engaged to move the sameaway from each other so that the devicemay be placed over the tire in an inwardly radial direction and can movesaid members toward each other to cause the same to grip said tire, saidmembers having arms of angular form extending at opposite sides thereofalong the corners of the tread of said tire for an appreciable distancecircumferentially and said arms having means adjacent their ends forgripping the top and side of a corner of a tread of a tire havin angularcomers, said members having portions extending inwardly of said tire andconstructed and arranged to grip said tire only inwardly of its widestportion.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, said last mentioned portionsbeing formed as arms extending for an appreciabl distancecircumferentially of said tire, said members being con-' structed andarranged so that when moved toward each other said last mentioned armswill first engage the tire and press against the same and said portionsof angular form will subsequently engage and grip the corners of saidtread.

7. A traction device for a pneumatic automobile tire having incombination, a pair of rigid members adapted to be disposed respectivelyat opposite sides of said tire, one of said members having a portionextending transversely of the tread of said tire and engaging said treadand said other member having a portion interfltting with said lastmentioned portion, means for causing relative transverse rectilinearbodily movement of said members to move the same away from each other sothat the device can be placed over said tire in an inwardly radialdirection and to move said members toward each other to grip said tire,each or said members having a portion extending inwardly to a pointinwardly oi the widest dimension of said tire. said portions having armsextending at opposite sides thereof at their inner ends for anappreciable distance circumferentially of said tire and curved to extendaround and engage said tire, said members also having arms extending ateither side thereof adjacent the tread of said tire and formed withangular portions to engage the top and sides oi the corner of a tread oithe tire having a tread with angular corners.

ALBERT B. AUSTIN.

